Behavioral, Morphometric, and Gene Expression Effects in Adult Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Embryonically Exposed to PFOA, PFOS, and PFNA
Open accessAbstract
Perfluoroalkylated substances (PFAS) are a class of persistent anthropogenic chemicals that have been detected worldwide. PFASs consist of fluorinated carbon chains of varying length, terminal groups, and have a number of industrial uses. A previous zebrafish study from our laboratory showed that acute (3-120h post fertilization, 0.02-2.0μM), waterborne embryonic exposure to these chemicals resulted in chemical specific alterations at 5days post fertilization (dpf), and some effects persisted up to 14 dpf. Using a gene battery consisting of 100 transcripts identified several genes that were up or down regulated. This current study looks at the long-term impacts of PFASs in adult zebrafish using the same exposure regimen. It was hypothesized that sub-lethal exposure of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), or perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOA) in embryonic zebrafish (3-120 hpf) would result in permanent morphometric, gene expression, and behavioral changes in adult fish similar to those observed at 5 and 14 dpf. Zebrafish were exposed to PFOS, PFOA, and PFNA (Control 0μM, 2.0μM) for the first five days post fertilization. At six months post fertilization, no PFAS treatment resulted in a significant change in total body length or weight. In terms of behavior, PFNA males showed a reduction in total distance traveled and time of immobility, and an increase in thigmotaxis behavior, aggressive attacks, and preference for the bright section of the tank. PFOS treated males had a reduced aggression behavior, and PFOA females preferred the dark section of the tank. Gene expression of slco2b1, slco1d1, and tgfb1a were analyzed because these transcripts were previously found to be affected by PFAS exposure in 5dpf and 14 dpf zebrafish and resulted in: significant decrease in expression of slco2b1 for both sexes in PFNA and PFOS treated groups, significant decrease of slco1d1 in all treatment groups for females and PFOS and PFOA exposed males, significant increase of tgfb1a in males treated with PFOS and PFNA, and a significant increase of bdnf in all PFAS male groups. This study demonstrates that acute, embryonic exposure (5days) to individual PFASs result in significant biochemical and behavioral changes in young adult zebrafish 6 months after exposure. These three PFASs have long term and persistent impacts following short term embryonic exposure that persists into adulthood.
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Multiple studies reported that exposure to PFAS induced bouts of hyperactivity but decreased overall locomotion and distance traveled.
“Notably, multiple studies reported that exposure to PFAS induced bouts of hyperactivity, but decreased overall locomotion and distance traveled (Spulber et al., 2014; Jantzen et al., 2016).”
From A Critical Review and Meta-Analysis of Impacts of Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances on the Brain and Behavior (2022) · cites this paper as Jantzen et al., 2016
The Results (§3.2, page unavailable) report that PFNA-exposed male zebrafish traveled a shorter total distance but swam faster and spent less time immobile. That supports the combination of reduced distance and increased activity, but the paper does not describe bouts of hyperactivity or a general decrease in overall locomotion; the distance reduction was limited to PFNA-exposed males. (LLM, conf=0.86)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredMale zebrafish developmentally exposed to 2 μM PFNA experienced hyperactivity, decreased distance traveled, increased aggressive behavior and thigmotaxis in adulthood.
“Another study found that male zebrafish developmentally exposed to 2 µM perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) experienced hyperactivity, decreased distance traveled, increased aggressive behavior and thigmotaxis, or avoidance of the center of the arena, in adulthood (Jantzen et al., 2016).”
From A Critical Review and Meta-Analysis of Impacts of Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances on the Brain and Behavior (2022) · cites this paper as Jantzen et al., 2016
Jantzen et al. (2016) reported no hyperactivity in fish exposed to 2 μM PFOS or PFOA, although they reported decreased aggression in PFOS-exposed males and increased anxiety-like behavior in PFOA-exposed females.
“Jantzen et al. (2016) reported no hyperactivity in fish exposed to 2 µM PFOS or PFOA, although they reported decreased aggression in PFOS-exposed males, and increased anxiety-like behavior in PFOA-exposed females.”
From A Critical Review and Meta-Analysis of Impacts of Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances on the Brain and Behavior (2022) · cites this paper as Jantzen et al., 2016
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Starnes, H. M., Rock, K. D., Jackson, T. W., & Belcher, S. M. (2022) · Frontiers in Toxicology · doi:10.3389/ftox.2022.881584 · Cited by 166 · see citing works
“Another study found that male zebrafish developmentally exposed to 2 μM perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) experienced hyperactivity, decreased distance traveled, increased aggressive behavior and thigmotaxis, or avoidance of the center of the arena, in adulthood (Jantzen et al., 2016).”
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- Authors
- Jantzen, C. E., Annunziato, K. M., & Cooper, K. R.
- Affiliations
- Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (US)
- Corresponding author
- Jantzen, Carrie E.
- Venue
- Aquatic Toxicology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2016-11
- Volume
- 180
- Pages
- 123-130
- ISSN
- 0166-445X (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC5839330
- OpenAlex
- W2522107553
- Cited by
- 113
- References
- 39
- Citations by year
- 2026: 11 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 20 · 2022: 17 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 1
- FWCI
- 3.92
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Aquatic Toxicology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- Cooperative State Research
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Chemistry › Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances research
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › Zebrafish Biomedical Research Applications
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Environmental Toxicology and Ecotoxicology
- Keywords
- PFAS, perfluorooctanoic acid, PFOS, PFNA, embryonic exposure, adult zebrafish, morphometrics, behavioral effects, thigmotaxis, aggression, light-dark preference, gene expression, SLCO2B1, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, CDK2, CDK3, CDK4
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Behavior, Animal, Body Weight, Embryo, Nonmammalian, Fatty Acids, Female, Fluorocarbons, Locomotion, Male, Water Pollutants, Chemical, Zebrafish, Gene Expression, Alkanesulfonic Acids, Body Size
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